IN
THE LAND OF THE GIANTS REVIEWS:
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Surviving, barely, Hollywood jungle
Actress Blair Tefkin can do ditzy with her hands tied behind her back. This willowy,
stark brunet has the unblinking stare of the practiced airhead and that uniquely
showbiz voice type: a little-girl timbre burnished by cigarettes and decades
of crushing rejection.
Tefkin doesn't have her hands behind her back in "In the Land of
the Giants," her
autobiographical one-woman pop/rock cabaret; she has them out front, thumping
a bass guitar, as she relates fractured, poignant, often hilarious tales of minor
celebrity, despair and humiliation. . .
From her years as a "tiny prodigy" and child of divorce, through ludicrous
acting classes, unrewarding relationships and unsought career advice, Tefkin's throughline
is her struggle to develop a sturdy sense of self in a town where "a
woman is a perishable commodity," as a longtime therapist tells her. Indeed,
as she tells it, Tefkin has been surrounded by fantastically
self-involved
people — parents, psychiatrists, agents, boyfriends. It's something of
a miracle, then, that she retains such a deceptively breezy, self-deprecating
sense of humor about a business that's left her, as she puts it, "Lonely,
uninsured and disappointed."
As a singer-songwriter her tunes are witty and often pretty, and they're backed
with loving subtlety by guitarist Bernard Yin and drummer Michael
Kramer. Director
Andy Fickman gives the proceedings smooth but not overly slick momentum . . .
and Tefkin's blank stare finally conveys not so much ditziness as a look of hard-won
wisdom. She's faced cruel music and she's still dancing.
– ROB
KENDT
L.A. WEEKLY
IN THE LAND OF THE GIANTS Though it is a stretch to refer to this
mini-concert as theater, it is a remarkably enjoyable evening of
tuneful self-deprecation.
The musical talents of one-time child star Blair Tefkin (singer and bass),
along with her backup band (Michael Kramer and Bernard
Yin), are
well complemented
by director Andy Fickman’s (Reefer Madness) comedic talents. The material,
taken from Tefkin’s life, is harsh, and her presentation is far from the
typical self-reveletory, dramatic one-hander about dysfunctional childhood leading
to troubled adulthood that populates local stages. Rather, Tefkin turns her bitter
tales into painfully funny, biting rock-based songs. For more than an hour, there
is no let up as Tefkin, under pressure from Fickman’s astute sense of how
much an audience can take, grinds through her disappointments while continuing
to endear herself to her viewers. Much of the enjoyment comes from references
to some of the tackiest television shows ever made, including Tefkin’s
starring stint on the sci-fi hit V and her time spent in The Land
of the Giants. Bossyboots Productions at the 2ND Stage, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Hlywd.; Thurs.-Sat.,
8 p.m.; thru March 13. (323) 960-7744.
Written 02/12/04 (Tom Provenzano)
NoHo
L.A. 2/17/04
In the Land of the Giants by Chelsea Brewer
The stage is dressed with a drumset, some guitars and a keyboard
and you’re
thinking Flock of Seagulls is here!’ But then the lights come up to a three-person
band, and you think “Man, the lead singer got prettier!’ That’s
Blair Tefkin, and she’s here to tell you about her pathetic but continually
intriguing and always hilarious journey through life, in Bossyboots
Production’s
In the Land of the Giants.
Billed as a tragicomedy with music, Giants gives a rock version of what
it sounds like when someone is taking about their past to a new significant
other. Tefkin begins with her childhood as she wins a part over Jodies foster but loses
to her overbearing mother and father who refuse her. She dips into several
sessions
with her therapist who seems only to condemn and undermine her. Her acting
takes her to such realms as the girl who had the alien’s baby on V, to a girl
on a bus in an after-school special – not to mention bad relationships
with men, neighbors, and Nancy Sinatra.
The whole production benefits from the rhythmic and childlike manner
in which she speak. It’s like a nursery rhyme with the F-word thrown in.
Professional musicians Michael Kramer and Bernard
Yin back Tefkin excellently
and contribute with some falsetto vocals that are reminiscent of Olive
Oyl’s
girlfriends. The three do a superb job of transporting the audience to surfing
at the beach, the Dean Martin Show, and even all the way to India. Or should
I say Inja?
Anyone can apprciate a coming of age story, even if it’s told years
later and through electric instruments. We all want to know who we are and
will do
almost anything to find out.
I’d say Blair Tefkin is pretty close. If I were her mother, I would
stop being over-bearing and give her a standing ovation. RECOMMENDED.
TOLUCAN TIMES
‘
In the Land of Giants’ Entertains at 2nd Stage Theatre
Blair Tefkin’s one woman tragicomic musical In
the Land of the Giants is an entertaining look at relationships and career. Featuring
original songs
written
by Tefkin, the show vividly presents important emotional moments in
her life as she grows from childhood into responsible adulthood.
As she humorously reports in the opening number, Tefkin took up the bass
guitar and began writing songs when her manager, agent, psychiatrist
and boyfriend
all dumped her at the same time. Thus began her cathartic journey of
examining these
relationships and growing as both a woman and performer.
Like Lyle Lovett, Tefkin presents a sarcastic, ironic take on life in
her lyrics and singing. Simple, basic rythms provide a backdrop for her
thoughtful,
articulate
songs.
She possesses strong acting skills as well, providing expressive accents,
details, and gestures to each of the important characters in her life.
Michael Kramer and Bernard Yin provide strong backup on drums, keyboards
and guitar. Director Andy Fickman creates a wll paced, good looking
show featuring
outstanding original art by James Mathers and vivid lighting and sound
design.
Tefkin skillfully combines her strong writing and performing skills to
present a humourous, poingant look at how she grows from confused child
into a self-confident,
strong woman.
– Mary Mallory
MUSIC REVIEWS:
Blair
Tefkin plays artful pop suffused with a darkly comic outlook
(“There
are dead people in my phonebook,” Tefkin sings
in “The
Enduring”),
and supported by Bernard Yin’s textural guitar
work.
- Richard Martin, Willamette Week
Lucie
Gamelon are fueled by the petulant song stylings of Blair
Tefkin. She
also plays bass and sings in a voice that
strangely suggests both Laurie Anderson and Liz
Phair. “Looks Like
Love” could be a hit single, but it’s probably too good.
- Jack Chester, The Rocket
LILITH FAIR. Either way, you’ve got to strum, strum, strum: Sarah
McLachlan, Natalie Merchant (who’ll spin, spin, spin), the
Indigo Girls, Missy Elliott, and respected triphoppers Morcheeba. On Thursday,
though, you also get Liz
Phair . . . and the spitefully pleasurable Lucie Gamelon. Jones Beach,
Long Island
- Eric Weisbard, The Village Voice, July 21, 1998
Blair
Tefkin sets the stance and tone for the six songs on Everything
Is Nice within the first
moments
of the opening track, “Julie (not her real name)”: perky,
yes, and smart, sure, but also with an edge of irony and a hint of both
anger and pain behind
her frisky façade. This is relationship pop from start to finish,
and what’s invigorating
about Lucie Gamelon is Tefkin’s approach to these modern miniature
tales of couplings and heartbreak . . . Guitarist Bernard Yin and drummer
Brian Sussman join Tefkin (who also plays a fine, up-front bass) in constructing
a tight, joyful pop racket.
The
arrangements and production are full of nice touches; sleigh bells, strings,
ghostly voices, multi-tracked backing vocals, scratching guitar. Although
short on material, Everything Is Nice is long on substance, and leaves
the craving sensation that smacks of sugar and sex.
– Carl Hanni, Puncture – Number 42
Blair Tefkin writes memorable story songs from the parallel universe
of bohemia with plenty o’ textures and dynamics and atmospherics.
(This) Queen of Quirk gives you tales of dead friends set to
keyboards that sound like tubular
bells or castanets or bad dreams . . .
-
Michael Simmons, LA Weekly
Lucie Gamelon is funny and exhilarating all at once and (Tefkin) sings in a way where no matter what she’s singing it’s great. Some tracks are reminiscent of the old school Bratmobile and Huggy Bear and they just make you feel really happy to be a girl who can experience and appreciate a fellow woman. “Julie (Not Her Real Name)” is a weird and hilarious track with humor and spirit, and the vocals are amazingly unique. I love Lucie Gamelon!
– Ericka-Rachel Mendoza, Female FYI